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I think I see a flaw in your logic

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  • I think I see a flaw in your logic

    For a while the Canadian government was offering rebates on home improvements that increased energy efficiency. An inspector would come to the house, note all the areas of the house that could be improved, and write up a schedule of how much of a rebate the homeowner would get for doing which upgrades. The homeowner would have a set amount of time (say 6 months) to complete any renovations on the list and then the inspector would come back, check the work that had been done and fill out some forms for the rebate.

    At least 25% of people that we quoted to do work for this program proposed some version of this: Could we do y work, at the cost of y work, but write out a quote and invoice reflecting that we did 2 or 3 times y work in order to get a larger rebate. This is a terrible idea. The best case scenario is that we scam the Canadian government for a few hundred dollars, all of which goes to the customer, at no benefit to our company. More likely outcomes are that we get caught attempting to scam the government, which I think they frown on. Hard. Or that we complete the work, and the customer successfully sues us to get back their money, or get more work done, because we have quoted and billed for something we haven't done. Lose-lose-lose right?

    I heard any number of arguments, whining, threatening, blustering and pouting that we would not perform this fraud for our potential customers ie, random people we had just met and didn't know from Peter Pan, but this one stupid lady had a slightly different take:

    Stupid Lady: Well company A and company B have both agreed to do this if I go with them. You should do this if you want a customer, and don't want to lose my money to your competitors
    Me: I think you should just go with one of them then, our company is really not interested in this kind of arrangement
    SL: But I don't want to use either of them. They have a reputation for trying to scam people, and everyone says you guys are really honest!
    Pain and suffering are inevitable...misery is optional.

  • #2
    Quoth NecessaryCatharsis View Post
    *snip*

    Stupid Lady: Well company A and company B have both agreed to do this if I go with them. You should do this if you want a customer, and don't want to lose my money to your competitors
    Me: I think you should just go with one of them then, our company is really not interested in this kind of arrangement
    SL: But I don't want to use either of them. They have a reputation for trying to scam people, and everyone says you guys are really honest!
    Okay, now my head hurts. Why does she think these companies have such awful reputations?!?!?

    Sorry ... forgot where I was for a moment.

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    • #3
      Too bad you can't start scribbling furiously as they propose this, then, when asked, sigh and say "Oh, the Canadian Energy Board wants all the details when citizens attempt fraud through us..."

      Or a variation on what you state here - look them in the eye and say "What's in it for us?" 'course, that supposes that someone understands the risk/rewards system, and look what site we're on.

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      • #4
        Quoth NecessaryCatharsis View Post
        SL: But I don't want to use either of them. They have a reputation for trying to scam people, and everyone says you guys are really honest!
        Just look her in the eye and say, "Well, you're trying to run a scam, so it seems like they'd be the perfect fit for you..."
        "For a musician, the SNES sound engine is like using Crayola Crayons. Nobuo Uematsu used Crayola Crayons to paint the Sistine Chapel." - Jeremy Jahns (re: "Dancing Mad")
        "The difference between an amateur and a master is that the master has failed way more times." - JoCat
        "Thinking is difficult, therefore let the herd pronounce judgment!" ~ Carl Jung
        "There's burning bridges, and then there's the lake just to fill it with gasoline." - Wiccy, reddit
        "Retail is a cruel master, and could very well be the most educational time of many people's lives, in its own twisted way." - me
        "Love keeps her in the air when she oughta fall down...tell you she's hurtin' 'fore she keens...makes her a home." - Capt. Malcolm Reynolds, "Serenity" (2005)
        Acts of Gord – Read it, Learn it, Love it!
        "Our psychic powers only work if the customer has a mind to read." - me

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        • #5
          So she wants to use an honest company to scam the government, instead of using a DISHONEST company to scam the government? And she didn't see anything wrong with any of this?

          Just....wow.
          When you start at zero, everything's progress.

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          • #6
            Quoth MoonCat View Post
            So she wants to use an honest company to scam the government, instead of using a DISHONEST company to scam the government? And she didn't see anything wrong with any of this?

            Just....wow.
            No, she wants an honest company to scam the government instead of a dishonest company that will scam both her and the government.
            "I don't have to be petty. The Universe does that for me."

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            • #7
              Customers.... Logic... Does not compute!
              This was one of those times where my mouth says "have a nice day" but my brain says "go step on a Lego". - RegisterAce
              I can't make something magically appear to fulfill all your hopes and dreams. Believe me, if I could I'd be the first person I'd help. - Trixie

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